Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
Okay standard queury goes "Chinese had gunpowder for a thousand years but didn't invent the gun-why?"
The answer is generally 'cultural' - they had the technology, but their culture was not structured to exploit that technology in the form of guns.
The Europeans (Portugese?) who invented the gun had a cultural structure that allowed them to take the gunpowder technology of China and apply in a different manner ie guns
The same arguments can and should apply to every other peice of technology named.
For instance Egyptians had static electricity capacitors and the Parthians had batteries (ceramic jars containing pitch and a zinc and copper rod).
Egyptians priest used these electricity generators to light certain temples and also for 'lightning displays' ie they would 'magically' summon bolts of lightning (static electricty) into their hands (iron rings on their fingers) and so woo the crowds into submission
Atomic theory says (generally) that the world (all mater) is made up of combinations of an essential minute 'particle' that takes a huge leap from a theory of of four elements that combine in together to create matter.
And as Celebrim says about disease theory- in a fantasy world Elemental theory IS true (where else do Fire Elementals come from) and yes Diseases really are caused by evil spirits (Demon Fever, Cackle Fever ... )
